8 Heaven Help My Heart
by Daintress
Summary: That trip to Egypt was more exciting than anyone knows. Well, anyone except Fred. I tell him everything. Good show Mum never found out, though! AU since HBP.
1. Chapter 1 Trapped

**Chapter 1 - Trapped **

**Summer, 2003**  
  
"Oi! George!" A hasty whisper from his twin brought George Weasley running back into the dark passage of the tomb. Ron was chatting happily with Ginny about something, and Bill was giving what sounded like a formal tour lecture. Their parents were listening raptly. The only one who might have seen him was Charlie, and he wasn't worried about that. Charlie was not the sort to ruin a good prank, which is exactly what he knew Fred was about to begin.  
  
When he reached him, Fred gestured into another passageway. Percy, torch in hand, was running his fingers over the pictures Bill had just explained, his back to them. Sniggering wickedly into their fists, the boys drew their wands and quickly began making illusory blocks. When the chamber Percy was in was, for all intents and purposes, completely sealed, they ran to catch up with the rest of the family.  
  
At 14 years of age, the Weasley twins were well known for their pranks, and their uncontrollable sniggering gave them away, even though Charlie hadn't told. Mrs. Weasley turned around in fury, counting red heads faster than anyone would have expected.  
  
"Where's Percy!" she asked, her tone bypassing alarm entirely and settling firmly on accusation. After several indecent snorts to try and stop laughing, George managed to point toward the pyramid they'd just left.  
  
Narrowing her eyes angrily, Mrs. Weasley huffed past them, her strides long and purposeful for such a short, stout witch. "Honestly! Less than a week and you two are already – "  
  
A hoarse shout followed by piercing screams cut her off. Instantly, the entire Weasley family was running back into the pyramid, wands drawn. The twins and Bill made it first, and Fred removed the illusions.  
  
As soon as the doorway was apparent, several things happened at once. The screaming turned into hysterical sobs as a flash of shiny, dark hair flew out the door and collided with George, who had to take a quick step back to keep from tumbling over.  
  
Bill jumped past the girl to find that the chamber held more than just Percy, who was deathly white and casting hexes at the other occupants. Two moldy mummies, seemingly impervious to useful hexes like the full body bind and the impedimenta curse, were bearing down on him. Bill quickly used his wand to create a line of fire between his brother and the mummies, knowing from experience that it was the only thing that held them at bay.  
  
Percy, breathing rapidly, followed him back out of the room, glaring angrily at the twins, one of whom was still being held tightly by a hysterical girl no more than 16 years old. Her hair was falling inelegantly over George's shoulder and he looked extremely uncomfortable, but was unwilling to make things worse by pushing her away. Fred, on the other hand, would have been laughing at his brother's discomfort if it hadn't been for the glare Mrs. Weasley had fixed on him.  
  
"Of all the – scaring a muggle like that! Ought to be ashamed of yourselves!" Mrs. Weasley was beside herself with anger, and it didn't look like Mr. Weasley was in much more indulgent a mood.  
  
"She wasn't in there when we did it, honest," George said, the now quieting girl in his arms making his voice a little more gentle than his usual protests of innocence. For once, his mother took a moment to think about that before simply exploding at the boys again. George unconsciously tightened his arms around the girl as she quieted further.  
  
With a grin, Fred filed that tone of voice away in his head for later use. It did sound more sincere than how he'd have said it. He looked over at Charlie, who grinned and winked at him, only to wipe the look from his face a moment later when Percy began to speak.  
  
"That's not the point," he snapped irritably. "You're on holiday and shouldn't be using your wands at all. Not to mention that I'll likely be in trouble as well, since I had to defend myself!" He adjusted his prefect badge self-importantly as Mrs. Weasley's face fell into anger again.  
  
"Alright, Weasleys, get out of here! Hurry up, now," she said, shooing Ginny away from the doorway, where she'd been trying to catch a glimpse of the mummies.  
  
"A minute, Mum," Bill said. "I need to deal with those so no one else runs into them. I'll handle that, too," he added, gesturing toward George and the girl.  
  
Everyone followed Mrs. Weasley back out of the pyramid, except Bill and George. Bill gave them an odd sort of look as he dodged back into the chamber. With a few very strange sounding hexes, he convinced the mummies to fall asleep again and levitated them back down the corridor toward their sepulchre. "Wait there, George, I'll be right back," he called over his shoulder.


	2. Chapter 2 Artifact

**Chapter 2 - Artifact **

**Summer, 2003**  
  
George, left entirely alone with a very red-eyed girl who was still clutching his arms convulsively, became still more uncomfortable. "Er – are you alright?" he asked finally.  
  
"Of course," said the unsteady reply. She pushed herself away from him, as if embarrassed by his help. "Do you mind telling me what the hell that was all about? Mummies aren't supposed to MOVE!"  
  
"I'd better let Bill explain," George said warily.  
  
The girl, now standing on her own two feet, was precisely his height and looked straight into his eyes, making him look away. Then, suddenly, her attention was captured by the leather satchel that had been slung over her shoulder all this time. She turned away from him abruptly and opened the flap. George noticed a strange blue glow coming from it before she snapped it closed, satisfied, and turned back to him.  
  
"What's that?" he asked.  
  
"I'm the one who was nearly eaten by mummies, I'll ask the questions!" she exclaimed defensively.  
  
A knowing grin crept over George's face. "Did you find something in there? Is that why they were chasing you? You must be a great curse breaker. Bill said the Gringotts team has been trying for ages to find something in this pyramid!"  
  
"Gringotts?"  
  
Instantly, George realized his mistake. He'd thought for a moment that she must be a witch after all, but it seemed he was wrong. He thought fast and put on his most charming grin.  
  
"Come on, show me what you found! I won't tell."  
  
If she'd known the trouble that usually followed that grin, she might have taken her chances with the mummies. Instead, she looked warily around the darkened passageway, then opened her bag again.  
  
Her soft features were instantly bathed in a pale blue light, which only brightened as she lifted the source out of her bag. George was surprised to find that he was so interested in her face, and forced himself to look at what she held, hoping the bluish glow would hide his flushing cheeks.  
  
Her hands were small, and the artifact was obviously rather heavy. Pulsing faintly in her hand was a large scarab beetle crafted from a single blue gem. "Wicked!" he exclaimed. He reached out a hand to touch it and she pulled it away slightly. "Is it warm?" he asked.  
  
"A little." She brought the gem back to its original place, then held it out to him. He laid a hand over it, blocking some of the light.  
  
If you'd asked him later what happened, and several people did, he would have told you that he didn't know, that he'd woken up to see his family crouched worriedly over him. But it didn't really happen that way.  
  
For an instant the blue glow shifted to a deep purple and pulsed brightly. The tips of George's fingers were on the palm of her hand, and they seemed first to burn, then freeze, though his brain only vaguely registered the difference. Their eyes snapped together and she gasped, as if only just realizing he was there. The purple faded to a perfect black, and he thought for a moment that he'd passed out, until he felt lips pressing hungrily against his.  
  
He'd thought about kissing Alicia Spinnet at the end of the last school year, but he hadn't imagined doing it quite like this. Still, he found himself somehow in need of the feeling that was beginning to take hold of him. A feeling he would one day recognize as the purest form of lust, with maybe a little something more. He kissed back. Then there was a pause, and a whisper in the darkness. "I can't do this."  
  
He wasn't sure how long after that he was awoken by Bill shaking him. The rest of his family had also returned. His father and Fred were kneeling beside Bill with worried expressions on their faces. But before he noticed any of them, he noticed that the girl was gone.  
  
"What happened?" he asked groggily. No one had any answer. On the way to dinner, George and Fred walked a little behind the rest, in unaccustomed silence. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were arguing with Charlie and Percy about what exactly was to be done to find the muggle girl and erase her memory. Ron kept casting concerned glances over his shoulder at George, then reassuring Ginny that he was fine. Bill, however, was thinking hard as he led the way to dinner.  
  
The restaurant was situated on top of their hotel, open to the stars that were just beginning to come out. They took seats at the table Bill had reserved, Ginny asking Ron again if he'd seen the mummies. She seemed to have developed a troubling interest in dangerous things since her experience with Riddle's diary the year before, and Ron, oblivious to this, told her again that he'd seen just what she had: Nothing.  
  
When George, who'd been silent throughout the meal, got up to use the loo, Bill followed him. As soon as the door closed behind him, he began firing off questions. "Those mummies didn't chase her for no reason, George. Did she show you something she'd brought out of the pyramid?"  
  
George shook his head, knowing full well that Bill wasn't going to buy it. He felt somehow like it was his job to protect her.  
  
"How did she get away from you, anyway?" Bill was leaning casually against the doorframe, but his shoulders were stiff. He suddenly felt like George wasn't telling him everything. It wasn't like either of the twins to be this quiet.  
  
"Don't know," George mumbled, as purple light seemed to tint his vision. His odd tone made Bill even more suspicious. George splashed some cold water on his face. When he looked up into the mirror, the face that greeted him was not his own, but hers, bathed again in pale blue light. She looked for all the world like a marble statue. When he blinked, the image vanished, and he saw only himself, his eyes glazed, and mouth turned down in a frown that looked foreign on his face.  
  
Bill watched all this worriedly, then made his way back to the table. When he arrived, he whispered in Fred's ear. "Keep an eye on him. There's something funny about all this."


	3. Chapter 3 For Sale

**Chapter 3 - For Sale  
  
Summer, 2003**  
  
Across town a dark haired girl lay sobbing on a makeshift bed of old blankets. The candles in the room had been extinguished, though she hadn't bothered to undress. Her tan capri pants, stolen from a tourist only last week, were the tiniest bit too tight. Her shirt, scavenged from a hotel lost and found, was just a little more revealing than she would have chosen. Still, they were her best clothes that she was crumpling horribly as she curled into a ball and cried. When she finally picked herself up, and dusted off her trousers, she made her way to the nearest payphone.  
  
"That's the price, have it with you or don't come at all."  
  
"Where this time, Jamila?" the gravelly voice asked resignedly.  
  
"The Grill at the Semiramis in twenty minutes. You can buy me dinner, too." She knew she was pushing it, but for once she had an item worth the old man's time, and she knew it. She'd washed her face as best she could, horrified that she'd been crying over someone she'd just met. But the way he kissed!  
  
"Twenty minutes," the man echoed, bringing her mind back to the present. Jamila hung up the telephone gratefully and straightened her shirt as best she could. She was only a block away, now, so she set out for the hotel and made her way warily up the stairs. Nadir was no fool. If he had any inkling what she was carrying, she wouldn't put it passed him to set someone in her path to take it from her.  
  
The hostess looked at her appraisingly as she gave Nadir's name and awaited a table. She always hated this part, knowing that without that name, she'd never have been allowed to eat here at all. She certainly wouldn't have been able to afford it. The little money she'd made recently by stealing artifacts from unopened pyramids had saved her from a less savory means of making a living, so she was luckier than most. Still, she often caught herself dreaming of approaching the American Embassy and pleading for help. But hadn't she tried that already? "If your mother was Egyptian, there's nothing we can do, my dear." Then a trip back to the orphanage and a good lashing for running away.  
  
No, she wouldn't try that again any time soon. In two years, she'd be an adult. THEN she'd go to the Embassy and see if they could track down her father. Or that's what she'd been planning. She ran her fingers over the bulge in her satchel as she sat waiting at a table near the railing. Now she wouldn't have to find her father. Now she could get out of this horrible sandpit all on her own. The money she'd get for this prize would ensure her future, something she'd never even hoped she could have.  
  
She looked dispassionately at the other diners, her eyes stopping on a table full of red-heads who looked to be finishing their dessert. Before her eyes the whole world seemed to go purple, and one of them looked up at her. The older one, with the ear ring. Bill. The name passed through her hazy mind, and she barely saw his face at all. There was an empty chair. She looked away. Of all the bad timing!  
  
Bill narrowed his eyes at the sight of the unkempt girl sitting alone only a few tables away. He straightened abruptly and came toward her. "Pardon me," he said quietly.  
  
Taking a deep breath, Jamila turned to look at him. "Oh, hello," she replied, feigning surprise. Bill wasn't fooled. He took a seat.  
  
"Give me a chance to buy it." Bill spoke quickly. He'd been in Egypt for several years now, and although he'd never met this particular girl, he knew she wouldn't be here unless she had something to sell. And he could tell by the sudden look of interest on her face that she was an opportunist.  
  
"I was promised 500,000 Egyptian pounds, can you do better?" She glanced worriedly around the room. If Nadir showed up while they were negotiating, it would be bad.  
  
"I can. Come sit with us."  
  
A spasm of fear crossed her face and she shook her head violently. "I can't. George – "she trailed off uncertainly looking back toward their table.  
  
"What happened?" The faint blush in her olive complexion was enough to make Bill very suspicious again.  
  
"N-nothing," she stammered as the torchlight along the railing seemed to turn purple. She blinked several times and it went away, allowing her to focus on Bill again. "Meet me here," she said, scribbling an address on the napkin and thrusting it toward him. She hurried out, asking the hostess to give Nadir her apologies.  
  
She ran down the stairs, two at a time, expecting at every corner to see George's mischievous grin. When she rounded the last corner, she did in fact run into a grinning face. But it wasn't George.  
  
"Nadir is going to be most displeased to find that you aren't waiting for him upstairs, Jamila," the man said quietly. Jamila found her eyes straying to the dagger he wore at his side. It wasn't visible at the moment, but she knew him well enough to know he was there.  
  
"I – I thought of another item I wanted to bring, and I'd like to go back and get it."  
  
The man laughed, keeping a firm grip on her elbow as he steered her back up the stairs. "He's only interested in the gem, my gem." He led her roughly, and she bit her cheek to keep from whimpering.  
  
Several floors above, a very impatient Nadir looked up as a red haired boy stood abruptly, knocking over his chair. George's world had gone purple again and something was calling him toward the stairwell. Not entirely sure why, he raced down the stairs, wand drawn. If he was going to get a warning about underage magic, he might as well make the most of it. Fred shrugged at his startled family, then followed.  
  
Understanding came suddenly as George barreled into a burly man, who took several steps backward before drawing a long knife and taking another step forward. Fred, just a step behind, pried the man's fingers from Jamila's arm, and drew his wand beside his brother, pulling her behind them.  
  
"Those aren't going to help you much, boys," the man sneered. George hexed him and turned to Jamila as the man fell. Fred, both aghast at his brother's indifference, and impressed with his reflexes, levitated the stunned man before he could roll down the staircase, and moved him into a corner of the lower landing.  
  
"Are you alright?" George asked her again. She nodded mutely, her eyes travelling swiftly from his wand to his face. She felt her breath catch in her throat.  
  
"Mikal doesn't work alone," she whispered finally. Footsteps thundered on the stairs above them and they exchanged another glance as Fred looked on.  
  
"Fred? George?" Bill's shout rang through the stairwell, and all three breathed a sigh of relief. Bill and Charlie appeared a moment later, hastily putting their wands away. After a pointed look from Charlie, the twins did the same. Which was good, since the next person to join them on the landing was Molly Weasley, and she didn't look happy.  
  
George was still staring unabashedly at Jamila, who returned his gaze with unwavering attention, seemingly oblivious to the eyes of his family. After a few moments of silence, George swallowed hard and looked away, blinking the purple out of his eyes.  
  
Bill was kneeling before the unconscious man on the lower landing. "Mikal. That means Lakim is around here somewhere. You were selling it to Nadir?" he asked incredulously, looking up at Jamila. She nodded, her eyes still on George. "Then you have it with you?"  
  
Finally she pulled her gaze downward to look at him. "Yes." It wasn't like her to trust a potential buyer so quickly. Indeed, she had never had a potential buyer she could trust at all, which was why she scheduled these exchanges in crowded restaurants, and always had an escape plan. A plan which, she admitted to herself now, had gone out the window in her hurry to escape George. She felt his eyes on her again and had to force her gaze to remain on his brother.  
  
"I think I need to talk to her alone," Bill said as Ron and Ginny joined them, followed by Percy, who looked very put out at having his meal interrupted. Then Bill made a nearly fatal mistake. He turned to her and said, "Why don't you come to my room and we can discuss the price of that artifact."  
  
Before he'd even finished, George had drawn his wand and joined him on the lower landing, anger flashing in his normally playful eyes. All the Weasley's looked on, open mouthed, and Fred backed slowly away from the dark haired girl, unconsciously trying to avoid a similar wrath.  
  
"You and George, of course," Bill amended hastily, still looking up at the girl. She nodded slowly, the only one not surprised by George's reaction, though Bill was quickly beginning to suspect the nature of her artifact, and it was worth every pound she'd demanded.  
  
"Alright."  
  
Mrs. Weasley opened her mouth but closed it again as her husband's hand closed around her wrist and pulled her around. "Let's finish our lovely dessert, shall we? I'm sure the waitress is wondering why we left without paying for our meal." He kept his voice light as they trooped back upstairs.  
  
Fred stood indecisively, looking down at Bill and George as his twin put his wand away again. "Go on, Fred. It'll be fine." Bill threw a glance toward their retreating family. After a beat of silence, and another worried glance at George, Fred ran back up the stairs. 


	4. Chapter 4 The Fidelity Gem of Min

**Chapter 4 - The Fidelity Gem of Min **

**Summer, 2003**  
  
George kept his eyes fixedly on Bill, all anger having disappeared to be replaced by fear. Each time he looked the girl in the eye, it was more difficult to look away. He could feel her descend the stairs to join them, though he was sure she made no sound. Then her hand found his and he squeezed her fingers, though he wasn't sure why. Bill watched this in silence before leading the way to his room and unlocking the door. He held it open for them to enter ahead of him, each of them purposely looking away from each other, though their hands were still clasped.  
  
"What's your name?" he asked her casually as he turned on the nearest lamp. He knew this was going to have to be handled very carefully. He watched her sit down on the bed, George standing uncomfortably beside her, unwilling to let her go, but unwilling to join her on the bed either. Perhaps his little brother was wiser than he'd expected.  
  
"Jamila," she whispered.  
  
"Jamila," George echoed. Before he could help himself, he'd looked down at her. She was looking at him as well, and an instant later, he found himself on his knees, still holding her hand as she leaned down slowly, far too slowly for him. He put a hand behind her head, pulling her lips into his. Distantly he heard Bill cough from the direction of the door, but it didn't quite register until his brother was pulling him up by his free arm and sitting him roughly in a chair on the other side of the room. George closed his eyes, far more frightened now than he'd been earlier. He hadn't meant to do that. For Merlin's sake he was a Weasley! He wasn't into GIRLS, he was into PRANKS!  
  
Jamila had jumped up from the bed as soon as the kiss was broken, breathing heavily with her back to them. She threw the satchel she carried heavily onto the bed. "Take it and go, please," she whispered, willing to give up her dreams of escaping Cairo if it meant regaining control of herself. What had she meant by kissing the boy? He must be at least two years younger than she was! Surely he couldn't have any interest in such things yet. Of course, he'd certainly seemed interested. She could feel his presence in the room. The wall before her was tinged a deep purple and the tacky flowers of the wallpaper seemed to swim, making her feel dizzy.  
  
She heard Bill's intake of breath as he took the gem out of the old pillowcase in which she'd wrapped it. "The Fidelity Gem of Min," he whispered in awe. "That explains it."  
  
"Put it away," George said hoarsely. Bill glanced over at him and saw the source of his brother's discomfort clearly. With a wry smile, he wrapped it up and put it back in the satchel.  
  
"You both touched it, I suppose?" Bill asked quietly. They nodded, Jamila still facing the wall. He turned to her anyway. "Stay here until tomorrow. I'll give you 600,000 Egyptian pounds for it."  
  
George was looking incredulously at his brother, who grinned back at him. "Gringotts has had me looking for this for the last two years," he said, answering the unspoken question. "They'll be willing to pay her handsomely for it."  
  
"Please take it away," Jamila whispered again. George looked past Bill and caught the sheen of her black hair reflecting the lamplight. Her hair was cut into a pretty curve that fell just to her shoulder blades at the longest point. It looked like pure spun silk and he ached to run his fingers through it. To comfort the fear he heard in her voice.  
  
But Bill had his arm again and was pulling him toward the door. Bill cast a sealing charm on the door to prevent the girl from bolting in the night. It was obvious that both she and George were frightened of the magical artifact that had so unexpectedly caught them in its thrall. But she deserved the money Gringotts would give her for it, and he intended to make sure she got it.  
  
Jamila cried into the pillow for hours that night, not knowing what had come over her or how. She couldn't think enough to wonder at the magic that had suddenly overtaken her mundane world. All she knew was that she was purely, deeply in love with George Weasley. And it was the most frightening thing she'd ever experienced.


	5. Chapter 5 Control

AN: The last chapter was short, so here's the wrap up with it. Enjoy.

**Chapter 5 - Control **

**Summer, 2003**  
  
George sat sullenly in the room he and Fred shared with Ron, while Bill whispered outside the door with their dad. He didn't have to be present to know what they were saying. 'Keep him here. Keep her there. Maybe it will go away.'  
  
Mrs. Weasley had already fussed over him as much as he could stand. Bill had obviously not told her what the exact affect of the gem was, for which George was eternally grateful. At least only one of his brothers had seen him kiss her. Or had she kissed him? He couldn't quite remember.  
  
He dressed for bed and took the couch without complaining. Fred and Ron stayed silent, worried. There hadn't been a single prank since the incident in the pyramid four hours ago, which was about four hours longer than the twins had ever gone. Nevertheless, they fell asleep quickly, tired from a day of exploring in the oppressive heat.  
  
George lay awake, amazed at how clearly he could hear them breathing. Soon the sound of soft snores came from outside the door as well. Sounded like Charlie had been standing guard. Charlie's snores were the softest of all the Weasley brothers, since his nose hair had been singed by dragon fire so often. George decided that Bill was probably standing outside the door to Jamila's room, making sure she didn't leave. That's when the idea came to him. The balcony. He could surely find her room, it was only three doors back down the hallway from this one. He crept silently to the glass door and opened it. Percy was snoring loudly from a plastic chair that had long since yellowed in the hot sun. George closed the door softly behind him. Percy didn't move.  
  
He could see her balcony from here; no one was there. He climbed to it carefully and pulled on the door. Locked. He grinned in the darkness, taking his lock picking kit from his pocket and working the lock for a few short moments. When that didn't work he pulled out his wand. No reprimand had come from the ministry for his other spells today, so he guessed he was far enough out of their jurisdiction to be safe. A moment later he was inside and casting a privacy charm on the room.  
  
She looked up, her eyes puffy in the lamplight. How many hours had passed, and she'd never turned out the light? "Nox," he muttered, waving his wand that direction. The room fell dark.  
  
"Who are you?" she whispered in awe. He felt rather than saw her get up from the bed and come towards him. Before he could answer, her lips were on his again. He dropped his wand and held her, kissing her roughly. He'd never thought of doing with a girl what he was imagining now, and he was more than a little afraid. Yet he was more afraid to try and stop, in case he should find that he couldn't.  
  
She let him pull her shirt over her head, his lips waiting for hers as soon as the fabric was out of their way. She wore nothing under it, and he closed his eyes, though it was far too dark to see her. Instead he ran his hands over her breasts, still kissing her hungrily. She backed away, and he stopped, letting her pull her mouth out of his reach, giving her a chance to stop if she wanted. The thought flashed through his mind that he was too young for this, that he didn't want it. Then the darkness melted into purple as her hand found his and she pulled him forward.  
  
They landed on the bed heavily. She didn't giggle as Alicia had done when he'd kissed her cheek at King's Cross last month, but then, he wasn't kissing her cheek, either. She pulled off his jumper, her hands hot against his shoulders, pulling him down onto her. There was a moment of inaction, then -  
  
"I'm sorry," she whispered. "We can't do this." Her voice was firm. After all she'd been through, she would not be forced again, not even by magic. And she wouldn't let George be forced either.  
  
As if in answer to her declaration, the purple faded from her vision abruptly, and she could tell that the same was true for him. "Oh bloody, bloody hell!" he murmured. "I'm sorry."  
  
"It was the gem," she whispered back. "It's not your fault, but we can't let this happen." She put her arms protectively around his shoulders as he rolled away, and planted a kiss on his neck.  
  
George lay there for as long as he dared, struggling with his own desires even as she held him. When his eyelids began to feel heavy, he disentangled himself from her arms. "I should go." She was still awake, he could feel it, but she didn't answer. He found his shirt quickly and was nearly to the balcony when he heard her sniff. After a moment's hesitation, he crossed the room again and sat on the bed. "I'm sorry. I'm a bastard." His still-changing voice betrayed him, and squeaked the slightest bit, bringing a sob from the girl who'd already pulled the blanket up to cover herself.  
  
"No. I should have known better. You're – we're too young." She wasn't ready for him to realize that this wouldn't have been her first time.  
  
George reached out hesitatingly in the darkness and his hand found her tearstained cheek. Then he did the one thing she least expected. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers, gently, the way he'd once imagined kissing Alicia, whose face he couldn't recall at the moment.  
  
"Go," she said, when he pulled away. "You'll be caught and your mum will have a fit." He smiled, then, knowing she was right.  
  
"They probably won't let me see you again. But I'll never forget you. When I'm done with school, I'll come back and find you."  
  
She nodded silently, unwilling to tell him that she wouldn't be here a single day after Bill brought her the money from Gringotts and took that wretched gem away. Then his hand slipped from her face and he was gone.  
  
She dressed carefully, then headed back to bed, knowing that Bill would arrive in a scant few hours to pay her for the artifact. She hadn't brought any pajamas, so he would have expected her to sleep in clothes. Her toes grazed a bit of stray wood as she felt her way across the room in search of her shirt, and she bent to pick it up. George's – whatever it was. The thing he'd used to knock out Mikal. She tucked it into her satchel with the few other artifacts she'd scavenged in the last week. She'd give them all to Bill in the morning. Then she lay down again and let the tears come, crying until the knock came at her door, accompanied by the first light of dawn.  
  
George looked forward to sleeping late that morning. Alas, he had a brother named Fred. The sun was barely up when Fred and Ron transfigured the cushions of his couch into chalk, forcing him to roll off the uncomfortable things and onto the equally uncomfortable floor. They had obviously reached the same conclusion about the ministry's magic detecting ability as he had: it didn't stretch as far as Egypt. He reached for his wand to get back at the still-laughing forms of his brothers and felt a moment of panic. It was gone.  
  
He was saved by a knock at the door. Bill came in, eyeing George's panicky face knowingly. "Gringott's bought the gem, but they didn't want this muggle stuff, so I bought it." He tossed Jamila's satchel to George, who caught it, his eyes widening in understanding.  
  
Fred and Ron stopped laughing abruptly. "She isn't going to remember any of this, is she?" George asked tensely. Bill shook his head. There was a heavy moment of silence before George grinned impishly. "Good! That was the most embarrassing thing that's EVER happened to me!" He tossed the satchel down on the chalk couch and headed for the shower, hoping his act had been enough to fool at least Fred and Ron. Then he remembered his wand, and raced back into the room. He snatched the leather bag back up and took it with him to the bathroom, locking the door behind him as Fred and Ron started laughing at him again. He dug for his wand. Sure enough, it was in there, along with a note.  
  
[George, Bill says I won't remember you after today, but I think he's wrong. I think everywhere I go I will look for red hair and freckles. Don't come back to Cairo for me. I won't be here, and I'm not worth the trip. Save your love for someone deserving. Jamila]  
  
He charmed the note to read as directions to the Burrow when anyone else saw it, and put it back in the satchel reverently. It was too much to hope that she would remember, but he knew he always would. That would have to be enough.  
  
FIN  
  
AN: They kissed, and he felt breasts. They managed to stop themselves before it went any further, which is quite impressive, considering their respective ages, and the compulsion spell on them. I hope that no one was particularly offended. Rest assured that I do not think of 14 year olds as sexual beings. (In fact, I sure hope they aren't! Merlin knows I wasn't at that age.) This has been my attempt to explain why Fred would make a date while all the common room was watching, but George wouldn't do any such thing. Hope you enjoyed.


End file.
